The Gwyllgi Is Coming
by HalfBloodAlchemist-10
Summary: Dean and Castiel, juvenile-retired hunters, are adoptive parents to a young boy. But when tragedy strikes, the stakes are higher than they seem, and terror lies in the bonds of a single deal. AU human!Cas fic
1. Part 1

The Gwyllgi is Coming…

Author: Halfblood Alchemist

Rating: NC-17

Word Count: *this part* 3.762

Genre: Horror/Macabre, Dean/Castiel

Spoilers: none, but sort of parallel to pet sematary. Not exactly spoilerish but kinda… if you get what I mean…

Warnings: Character death, explicit depictions of blood and gore, strong language, violent and disturbing scenes. IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ!

Summary: Dean and Castiel, juvenile-retired hunters, are adoptive parents to a young boy. But when tragedy strikes, the stakes are higher than they seem, and terror lies in the bonds of a single deal.

A/N: AU based off of Stephen King's "Pet Sematary", human!Castiel verse, in which Jimmy is his twin, and Castiel and Dean are married. Alex is based off of the character Gage from "PS". I claim nothing but the AU! DON'T EXPECT A HAPPY ENDING!

A/N the second: I only have a basic idea about how adoptions work. If I messed something up I apologize in advance! The gwyllgi is the Welsh mythological version of the hellhound, usually depicted as a savage mastiff with glowing eyes, and terrifying features. Like the Grim, it is a bearer of darkness and death. THIS IS SPLIT INTO THREE PARTS, PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR THE ENDING!

* * *

Castiel sat in the car, practically bouncing up and down with excitement. It had been long weeks of paperwork, preparation and waiting, but the day was finally theirs. He smiled over at his husband, a certain Dean Winchester, the two soon-to-be-parents sharing a joy-filled smile before kissing tenderly as they waited for the light to change. They were so caught up in their elation, they did not notice the green light, too wrapped up in their shared kiss to pay attention. They were alerted to this change by impatient honking from the car behind them, which Dean promptly flipped them off, the couple sharing a laugh as they drove off.

Dean and Castiel Winchester (/Novak) had been married for a year before the two decided it was time to really settle down and start a family. Settle down, in the sense of giving up their previous lives as hunters of the Supernatural. They remembered the exact day they had met, both hunt parties accidentally staking out the same haunt on-coincidentally- the same night. Dean remembered the first time he laid eyes on his current husband, and knew instantly that he was in love. To this day, it still confused his brother Sam as to how he had so easily fallen for Castiel… he had been hunting with his partner/identical twin Jimmy. Castiel and James Novak, the irrefutable black sheep of their highly religious family had taken up hunting right after college, giving up their disjointed bonds to family they did not relate to, touring the country for hunts in much the same way Sam and Dean did. Identical twins on an identical mission.

And identical they were. Both men were nearly indiscernible in every sense of the word: appearance, gait, intelligence, hell even their hair was the same messy, just-rolled-out-of-bed mussed only the Novaks could manage. However, there were two minute aspects that differentiated the twins according to Dean: hunting style, and mild personality differences.

Jimmy tended to be a bit more vocal, open, and sported a voice to go with it. He used wits and strategy to lure his prey into a trap. He was also straight (unlike his twin). Castiel, on the other hand, was much quieter and vocally gruffer. Castiel's hunting style had more physical attributes, using his incredible speed and strength to defend his hunt against the beasties of the night. Later, when asked about it, Jimmy explained that while he had been passable in college, Castiel was the athlete. Cross country, track, weights, the whole nine yards and despite his tougher exterior, he was brilliant as well. The two were an indomitable pair.

The hunt that brought Winchesters and Novaks together had been an unbelievable one at that. While both parties never relied on outside assistance in a hunt, both teams realized that their resources were best used pooled together and ended up defeating a nearly impossible enemy with relative ease, and since then had been one unit…. Love at first sight, aside.

Of course it hadn't taken long for Dean and Castiel to take an emotional and physical attraction to each other, the rest of the gang knowing it wasn't long before either of them would fall into the other's bed and straight into his heart. As predicted, Dean and Castiel had sealed their love in coital bonding, and was an inseparable couple since. Aside from the lack of flowers and grandeur, it had been a relatively lovely hunter's wedding, Bobby Singer acting as the minister for his friends. Dean had insisted they have Bobby over the service, being his pseudo-father and all. And if Sammy found himself at the end of the evening weeping happily into a bottle of whiskey for his big brother's happiness, no one said anything.

Now, a year later, both Dean and Castiel had decided it was time to expand their family, giving up the hunter's life to raise a child of their own. Once the news went about their small family, excitement spread like wildfire. Jimmy immediately began planning what goodies he'd spoil the child with, proclaiming to be the future favorite uncle, while Sam planned his way to being the sensible one. Dean had teased his little brother about being a bad influence on his kid with his weird diet and book-smarts. Besides, they all knew that it would be Bobby who'd be the child's mentor, aside from his/her fathers.

The process begun, Dean and Castiel went through the interviews before meeting the biological mother, Heather, who at the time was a mere six weeks along. They had immediately taken a liking to each other, and plans went smoothly. Heather had been confident that this loving couple, although unorthodox, would take good care of her child once she gave birth… then began the long months of waiting.

It became clear that Castiel would be the proverbial mother to the child, his excitement and anticipation mirroring that of an expectant wife. He had no qualms. Although Dean teased him about this, both knew that that was simply how it would be, and neither would have it any other way. But as the day drew near, nerves began to lay heavy on Cas. What if the child did not accept him as a parent? What if the child grew in hate for being separated from its mother? It had taken much calming from his husband to abandon these negative thoughts. The child would love him just as he would love it.

On one particular night, one moth prior to the birth of their soon-to-be-child, Cas found himself unable to sleep, rifling nervously through a book, much to Dean's dismay.

"Cas? Babe, what's wrong?" Dean asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes from the dim lighting of the side lamp.

Cas turned to Dean and heaved a suffering sigh. "I suppose I am just nervous, Dean. Soon, we'll be parents, and… and I just don't want to ruin the child's life. I want to be a good parent to him or her, but I'm just not sure I'll be accepted as a parental figure."

Before Castiel had even finished his sentence, he was pinned to the bed by his husband, staring up fondly into mossy eyes. "Cas…" Dean muttered, leaning down to his spouse's neck, nipping the skin gently. "Don't worry yourself about it. The baby's gonna love you, you know that. We'll be great parents, I promise. Now either hush up and go to bed or kiss me, dammit." It was no contest to see which option Castiel had chosen.

Two days before Heather's due date, she went into labor, delivering a healthy baby boy into the world. She decided not to name the baby, let alone see it shortly after birth. Although she was willingly giving up her child, she didn't want to risk any sort of attachment to the baby. It would hurt less that way. Besides, Castiel had seemed so eager to take the child under his wing; he and his husband were more than loving parents right from the start. She bid her child goodbye, and left without turning back. It was for the best.

That day, Dean got the call while he was at work at the local garage, his cell phone ringing merrily from the work bench. Recognizing the number immediately, he answered, listened to the news and immediately had to put the phone down. His reason? He began jumping up and down, screaming that his baby was born. He thanked the doctor and called in his sick day, running home immediately.

What joy they felt when the news was set! Castiel's heart flooded with love as he pulled his husband into a firm embrace, kissing passionately that they were now parents. Unfortunately for him, they would still have to wait several days before bringing the child home. It would be the longest week of their lives.

On the day they were to bring little Alex home, Castiel had risen early, taking his usual daily run much further than normal. He was out for over two hours, unable to bring himself to stop running and return home, until his cell phone rang. He answered to a rather stressed Dean, who verbally wondered if Cas had fallen off of a cliff during his jog. Blushing, Cas reassured him that he would return shortly, wiping the early morning sweat from his brow.

True to his word, he returned soon, and bathed quickly, the new parents setting off to bring their child home. Castiel had immediately fallen in love with little Alex, taking the baby boy into his arms and cradling him lovingly to his chest. His face just radiated with joy and love, and he barely contained a gleeful laugh when Alex giggled to his new daddy and grabbed his pinky in a surprisingly firm grip. The nurse in charge had actually teared up, calling Dean and Castiel the most beautiful parents she had ever seen of such a gift. And it truly was.

Once Alex had been brought home, he was welcomed by a small party, his new family surrounding him, taking turns to hold and play with the infant. While Jimmy took his turn with his new nephew, Sam had approached Dean happily, giving him a playful punch to the shoulder. "If you mess this kid up, I swear I'll kick your ass, man." Sam had said lovingly. What a lovely sentiment between brothers.

Things seemed to fall into place for the Winchesters, Alex being the shining jewel of their loving family. If only happy endings were real…

* * *

_Four years later_

The move had tired the young family tremendously, but it had been successful. In truth, they did not move far from their previous residence, but looked to find a larger home to raise their young son Alex in. The apartment had proven to be too small for a toddler of his energetic nature, so without hesitation, Dean and Cas began looking for a new house. They dared not move far from Sioux Falls, if only to keep close contact with the boy's uncles. Secretly Jimmy, Sam, and Bobby had been grateful for this consideration.

It did not take long for Dean and Cas to find the perfect place, a small yet comfortable place off the main streets of town. A crystal blue lake sat amongst the adjacent forest, offering a beautiful haven to raise their beloved son. And what joy filled the toddler's heart, to have such a place to run and play in! Daddy and papa were too good to him. The Winchesters had fallen immediately in love with the home, moving in shortly after the paperwork had been completed.

On the day of the move, Jimmy and Sam both came over to help their brothers settle in, the aging Bobby keeping little Alex occupied. They had nearly managed to move the entirety of their furniture in when it came time for an early dinner and a bit of exploration. Upon finishing their meal, the family took their own tour of the property, enjoying the sunny day, nary a sound in the sky.

This blissful silence was broken violently, however, by the sounds of a truck barreling down the main road at breakneck speeds, the driver clearly inattentive to his surroundings. This immediately set Castiel on nervous edge, scooping his toddler into his arms as he stared warily at the road. They were not aware that that road was a main thoroughfare for semi trucks.

"Don't worry, Cas!" Jimmy reassured his twin, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get a fence built. Alex won't go by the road, he's got Novak spirit in him. He's a smart kid." This didn't seem to comfort Cas at all.

It took coercion from his husband to calm him down, as he agreed to look into hardware to build a yard fence. After he was convinced, Castiel relaxed somewhat and the group returned to the house to finish unpacking for the night.

Little yawns signaled Alex's bedtime, as the toddler rubbed his eyes sleepily. Cas smiled at his baby, picking him up and propping him on his hip. "Alex, are you sleepy? It's past your bedtime, baby." He said lovingly, smiling when Alex wrapped his arms around his neck and snuggled into his daddy's embrace.

Dean smiled and ruffled Alex's blonde hair gently. "I'll be in, in a minute kiddo to give you a goodnight kiss, ok? Gonna say goodbye to Sammy and Jimmy."

Alex nodded, his cheek pressed into Cas' shoulder. "Ok, papa…" he murmured, already beginning to drift off.

Jimmy smiled, watching his twin take Alex to bed, before nodding to the others. "Alright, I'm gonna head off now. I'll be by tomorrow at nine to help you guys finish unpacking, ok?" at their bidding, Jimmy left, waving over his shoulder as he set off into the night for his car.

Dean waved, and turned to his own brother, wondering why he and Bobby were hanging around. He didn't voice his curiosity however, for at that moment Cas came in and nodded to Dean, letting him know Alex was in bed. "Alright, I'll be right back…" he said, exiting the room.

Cas smiled to his in-laws, resting his hip against the couch. "Thank you so much for helping us move in. We really appreciate it." he said meaningfully.

Bobby, in his usual gruff manner, waved off the thanks. "Don't sweat it, boy. I rather enjoyed myself playing with Alex… but if you tell Dean, I'll have to kill you myself."

"Too late, old man." Dean laughed, walking in as Bobby finished speaking. Laughing, the group settled in for a final beer, Bobby swatting his baseball cap at his oldest pseudo-son, before taking a hearty swig.

The room fell into silence, the four of them just enjoying their company, before Sam finally cleared his throat, looking to Bobby. "We actually hung around to let you guys know… we found a, eh… road nearby."

This immediately piqued the couple's attention, as Cas and Dean both looked to each other worriedly. "What kind of road?" Dean voiced their question, looking to his brother.

Sam swallowed, not saying anything at first. Instead, he looked to Bobby for help.

"Son, we found a crossroads not too far off from here. Could be nothin'… just thought we'd let you know." Bobby said finally, clapping a hand on Dean and Cas' knees. He looked dead serious, which caused the young couple to fidget slightly in their seats. Any hunter knew what a crossroads meant.

Cas took Dean's hand into his, squeezing it nervously as Dean pulled him over next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, Cas. It's ok, babe. The road's useless unless someone actually tries to summon a demon. It's fine." Dean reassured him, kissing the top of his head gently. He wouldn't admit he was trying to comfort himself just as much.

The silence evading the room was nearly deafening. Growing nervous, Sam clapped his hands suddenly, standing up. "Everything's cool! Trust me. Alright, Bobby let's head out, give these guys a chance to relax before their first night in the new home."

Bobby nodded, standing up and cracking his back slightly. "Sounds like a plan to me. We'll be by tomorrow morning, kiddos. And don't worry." He added, headed towards the front door with Sam.

None of them were convinced.

* * *

It had been several months since their move, and the Winchester family was well acclimated to their new home. Every morning, Cas took his daily run, coming back in time to wake Alex for breakfast, which Dean would prepare while Cas was out. Dean kept his job at the garage, while Cas stayed at the house to take care of Alex, until he was old enough for preschool. The fateful day lay at the end of August, a mere six weeks away.

The heat of summer spurred the family on long walks in the woods, swims at the lake, and daily visits from the uncles, who spoiled little Alex rotten. Life was damn near perfect.

Then Dean began his nightmares.

In the beginning, they were nothing but shapeless images, dark and haunting his emotions, his thoughts. He'd wake in the middle of the night with a cold sweat, and a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. However, he never woke Cas, finding his blissful sleeping too wonderful to disturb for such an insignificant thing as a bad dream.

When they began to take form, though, he wasn't so sure they were nothing to be concerned of. He began to dream of death… darkness, and images of hideous yellow eyes.

One particular night, Dean found himself trapped in a nightmare he couldn't seem to shake. Most of the images were darkened blurs, flashed of light, and much to his dismay, blood. Screams of horror, monstrous and horrifying filled his ears, as dread coursed through his veins. It was like watching the bowels of hell coalesce in front of him, warping his sanity, his emotions as a boiling ocean of bodies, blood, and bile stretched before his line of vision, bubbling globs of pus and tissue, burning into new bodies as each helpless victim fell to his doom in the pits of a sea of acid. Rooted to the spot, he watched the blurry image of a damned soul crawl from the banks of the blood lake, his lower half melted and trailing rotting flesh in his wake.

Dean nearly gagged, backing up from the torn soul as he crawled his way towards him. He looked up at Dean through gouged and protruding eyes, flesh being eaten away by the very air that surrounded it. _"Beware…"_ he hissed, grabbing at Dean's boots with torn fingers, bone protruding from half-eaten limbs. _"Beware of the Gwyllgi…"_

Dean tried desperately to free himself from the corpse's grasp, but he soon found that he was surrounded by similar beings, all clawing at his form with decaying hands, maggot infested eyes and rotten blood. The mantra rose up, roaring over the very fires of hell, _"Beware of the Gwyllgi! Beware of the Gwyllgi!"_ the haunted voices rose to such a crescendo, Dean screamed in pain, backing away until he fell into black oblivion, floating in between his own world and the twisted hell he found himself in.

Suddenly, Dean hit solid ground, wincing in pain. He looked about to find himself in the forest, by the dreaded crossroads. As the dream progressed, a face came into sight, wrenching his heart ice cold. It was Cas… and he looked terrified. "Cas!" his dream self called to his lover, running to him. He wasn't sure but there was something infinitely wrong with this scene that played before his mind's eye… something ungodly terrifying, and all too real. Cas' face was a mask of sheer terror, and just as Dean reached him, he turned and fled. "CAS!"

As he gave chase to his lover, the dream morphed into something so clear and so frightening he froze, unable to tear his eyes away.

Cas fell to the ground, masses of blood and gory entrails being ripped violently from his flailing body. An inhuman scream filled the air, blood gurgling up into his raw throat, choking off the sounds. Dean found himself unable to move as he watched his lover, his husband being ripped apart by an unseen force, savage growls filling the night air and shaking his very bones.

He watched in terror as his husband died before him, blood spanning the dirty ground around him in dark red splatters that seemed to glow in the foggy moonlight, the monster chewing his way through the body. And then, just as suddenly as the onslaught began, it fell silent, a wolfish howl filling the chill night air as the disemboweled body lay still at last.

Dean finally found the strength to move as he dropped to his dead lover's side, bloodshot eyes filling with tears of despair. "No… Cas…" he gasped mournfully, reaching a shaking hand out to his lover's body.

He never made it. Suddenly the body bolted upright, snagging his wrist and ripping his arm from the socket, blood spouting in jets of deep red crimson as Dean screamed. _**"THE GWYLLGI IS COMING!"**_ the undead corpse of his husband shrieked, crystal blue eyes flooding a obsidian jet black as a bloody grin spread obscenely wide across his ripped face. _**"THE GWYLLGI IS COMING!"**_

Dean bolted upright in his bed, screaming himself hoarse. Another cry filled the air, this one of surprise and alarm as Cas flailed from the bed, hitting the floor next to them. A few agonizing seconds later and light flooded the room, Cas scrambling onto the bed to throw his arms around the terrified Dean.

"DEAN! DEAN FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP SCREAMING!" he yelled over Dean's shrieks, shaking his husband slightly.

Dean fell silent finally, slumping into Cas' arms as shivers wracked his body. He felt Cas' arms wrap protectively around him, cradling him close to his warm, fully intact chest, and rock him back and forth. "Calm down… calm down, I'm right here…" Cas cooed to him, kissing the top of his head.

It took several long, agonizing minutes for Dean to finally calm down. Tremors wracked his body as he clung desperately to Cas, feeling and praying that he was whole, that this ordeal had simply been a nightmare.

"It's ok, Dean… I'm here… I'm here…" Cas whispered, running his fingers through his hair gently. He felt wetness on his lover's cheeks and looked down, shocked to see his precious Dean, his hunter, sobbing. "Dean! What the hell did you dream about?" he asked, looking at him worriedly.

Gulping breaths desperately, Dean sat up, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles to scrape the tears away. "… it was nothing…" he croaked finally. Offering a weak smile, he shook his head, "it was only a nightmare…"

Castiel didn't look convinced, but he sighed, taking it for what it was worth and pulled his husband back to his side, cradling him as they both lay back down to sleep.

Dean felt Castiel slip easily back into slumber, but he knew it would be hours before he finally fell asleep again. Running his fingertips over Cas' chest gently, he felt for any indents, any wetness that would betray this false sense of security; for that's what it was to Dean. There was no way in hell that what he had dreamed was only tethered to the world of his visions and hallucinations. It just couldn't…


	2. Part 2

Part 2

Dean never dreamed that terrifying vision again, the memory of it scarring him terribly. The sight of Cas lying bloody in his own bodily fluids gave him pause as he remembered the very words his husband's corpse shrieked at him: The Gwyllgi is coming!

What the hell was a gwyllgi anyway? Dean never voiced his question, opting to push it from his mind and attempt to go back to a normal life of blissful monotony and never have to deal with such a thing again.

It was not to be. Dean's being had taken a hard hit, becoming a bit more withdrawn and jumpy at the slightest things. It gave Cas reason to worry but whenever he approached Dean about it, he always got the same answer.

"Cas, I'm fine. Really. I just had a bad night's sleep." Dean would offer, trying to quell his husband's worry. It didn't work.

"Dean, if you're suffering from some sort of nightmare induced insomnia, maybe you should see a doctor about that." Cas said one day, worried that Dean's lack of sleep would begin to affect him in other ways. Every time he offered, and every time it was rejected with flippancy. After awhile, Cas gave up hounding him about it, and life returned to some sense of normalcy.

* * *

_Two weeks later_

A small family cook-out brought some peace to Dean's mind, as it gave him something to focus on besides the nagging fears of his night terror and what exactly it meant. He prepared the grill as their little family gathered out in the expansive yard. Cas came out of the kitchen sliding door with the tray of burgers and handed them to Dean, pecking him playfully on the cheek as he went over to where Jimmy was playing with Alex on the patio.

Jimmy sat with his legs crossed, tossing a ball back and forth with Alex as the little boy squealed for joy. He laughed along with the others, clapping for him when Alex caught the ball. "Yay, good job Alex!" he cheered, hugging the little boy when he came over to his uncle, full of pride.

Cas smiled and scooped Alex into his arms, throwing him slightly over his shoulder. This set Alex off in another fit of giggles, clinging to his daddy's white t-shirt as he was spun around slightly.

"Son, don't make the kid sick all over yerself!" Bobby laughed, watching with fondness as Cas put the little boy down on the ground.

"Wouldn't be the first time that's happened, Bobby. Apparently that's a job for the daddy to clean up, not the papa." Cas retorted, shooting Dean a knowing look. When Dean looked about innocently, the whole group laughed, joined by Alex who squealed again just because it felt like the right thing to do.

"Alright, I'll be right back out, I'm gonna grab the drinks." Cas said, ruffling his son's hair playfully. "Watch him, he's getting squirrely." And with that note, he disappeared into the house.

"I'll go help him." Jimmy added, following his twin inside.

This left Dean, Bobby and Sam out to watch little Alex, who was amusing himself by running around in circles until he fell over. "Be careful, Alex." Dean cautioned, smiling when he son sat up, giggling. He looked too adorable in his little jeans and Spiderman t-shirt. It was his current favorite, which meant Cas had to wash it every night so he could wear it the next day. Rosy cheeks glowed happily under his nearly white-blonde hair, making him look radiant and cheerful.

Smiling, Dean sat down at the table with his brother and Bobby, sipping at a beer as they conversed. The burgers were done now; all they had to do was wait for Cas and Jimmy to come out with the condiments and more beer and their little barbecue would be set.

"Cas got his job offer at the high school. Apparently they want their Latin teachers to have a knack for teaching gym." Dean laughed, toasting his husband as Sam nodded.

"Double threat, that he is." Sam replied, smirking at his brother. They really seemed to have it made that was for sure: perfect spouses who couldn't get enough of each other, a wonderful son, and a beautiful home. He was almost envious if Sam hadn't been so happy for his brother. After years of one-night-stands and depression, Dean really deserved this.

Idle talk filled the air as the minutes ticked by, the yard falling rather quiet. None of them really took notice, too engrossed in catching up with each other's lives now that they weren't constantly on the hunt together to notice this change.

It took the return of Cas and Jimmy from the kitchen to bring them back to the moment.

"Alright, got the stuff, let's eat!" Jimmy said, smiling as he laid the tray down on the table. Content murmurs filled the air, until one simple question broke them from their happy revere.

"Where's Alex?" Cas asked, looking around confused. The little boy was nowhere to be seen. Dean jumped up and followed, feeling the waves of nerves ebbing off of his overly protective husband as the group searched for the little boy.

"Alex!" Sam called as they searched the yard for the missing child. Bobby swung around the side of the house, looking every which way; Cas made laps, growing more frantic as the moments ticked by and Alex still hadn't been found.

Off in the distance, the sound of an air horn filled the clear sky, subconsciously beckoning to the group. Jimmy turned towards the main road to wonder at the trucker's impatience as he barreled down the road. To his horror, he caught sight of his nephew. Alex was sitting in the middle of the road, playing with pebbles as the semi truck screamed down the road towards the helpless toddler.

"CAS!" he screamed to his brother, all eyes landing on the sight.

Cas' face paled, the ex-hunter immediately bolting for the road. "ALEX! ALEX, GET OUT OF THE ROAD!" he screamed, pushing himself beyond his limit to reach the road in time.

Dean, too, burst after his husband, but Cas' speed far overshot Dean's, moving the desperate man almost fluidly over the ground and leaving Dean to trail behind.

It became a race against time, Castiel trying desperately to outrun a speeding semi to save his little son's life. The remainder of the group remained rooted to the spot, eyes wide as they watched the scene with growing horror. Cas was fast… he had to be! He outran wendigos, ghouls, and vampires. He could surely make it…

Dean slowed finally, unable to keep up any longer. He prayed, God he prayed that Castiel would make it. And for a brief shining moment, it seemed that he would, with a flying leap he could save Alex's life. He just needed to hang on a few more heart stopping moments. The distance between semi and man closed fast, as the group watched with bated breath…

Castiel slipped. A clod of dirt and rock came loose under his footing as he sprinted towards the road, totally upending him midstride. His chin, his hands, his elbows came in explosive contact with the hard ground below him, splitting skin open in a red fountain as he rolled, dirt and rocks firmly embedding themselves into his skin as he came to a skidding halt mere feet from the side of the road.

It was a nightmare. Castiel had managed to struggle to his feet immediately after the fall, blood pouring from his cracked face as he scrambled up the slight embankment, reaching for Alex desperately. But he was too late.

The semi slammed headlong into the toddler, whisking him from his father's grip as tons of metal and steel slammed into the fragile body. Thrown like a ragdoll, Alex flew to the ground, feet in front of the massive wheels, crushed to death under the immense weight of a road giant. The semi upended as the driver struggled to bring the metal beast to a halt, the driver thrown from the cab to the asphalt below. The air filled with the crash of tons of steel and machinery, tar mixing with blood on the unforgiving ground below.

It was as if time simply stopped. The group rushed forward, the surrealism of the situation ripping at them. The very sky fell silent in the wake of such a horrifying accident.

Then the screams began.

Castiel screamed in horror, rushing over to the crushed body of his son, tears coursing down his torn face as he begged any god that would listen to bid that this wasn't true; Alex couldn't be dead! He skidded to the ground next to the carcass, scooping Alex into his arms to weep over the catastrophe. He wasn't fast enough, the thoughts repeated in his mind, pushing him further towards an emotionally scarred insanity. "ALEX! GOD, PLEASE NO!" Cas begged repeatedly, gently shaking the little body in his arms as if to wake the child from slumber.

Alex's head lolled over Castiel's forearm, bones crushed from the impact. What had started as a joyful Sunday morning ended in horror and tragedy.

Dean dropped down by his weeping husband's side, his whole body shaking violently as he took in the sight of his young son's bloodied corpse. Vaguely in the distance he could hear his brother and Jimmy running to the driver's aid as Bobby called 911. Maybe the driver would survive, but Alex… it was too late. "Cas… shit, I…" Dean struggled to speak, slipping his arms around the gory pair.

Castiel immediately collapsed into his partner's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "He's dead, he's dead and it's all my fault!" he choked, burying his face in Dean's chest, staining his shirt beyond repair.

Dean shook his head, clutching him close, the sounds of distant sirens whining through the air as help came far too late. He wished he could erase the day, take them back to before when things were simple and care-free, a son they could never smile at again or laugh with or love, just… gone from their lives.

Dean said nothing, a dread sinking in the pit of his stomach to mingle with his grief in a sickening twist of emotions. He held Castiel to comfort himself just as much as his lover.

_Alex…_

_

* * *

_

Dean leaned against the doorframe, staring blankly at the bed. Curled under the blankets, in a shivering mess was Castiel. Ever since the funeral three weeks prior, the man had not left the bed much, staying curled pathetically under the sheets. He stopped eating, he stopped bathing, he stopped running. Dean feared his husband would waste away in that bed, shut out from the rest of the world as he mourned his late son's death to his own.

Running his hands through his hair, he took a shuddering breath, feeling his own tears prick painfully at his eyes. He couldn't cry over Alex' death… not when Cas was suffering this badly. He had to at least stay strong for him.

Striding quietly into the room, he sat on the edge of the bed, running his fingertips down the other's man's cheek in a soothing caress. He smiled slightly to see Cas respond to his touch, turning his head into his hand slightly for more contact.

Cas shifted into the warmth of Dean's hand, pulling the blankets down to gaze up at him with bloodshot, puffy eyes. Under the bandage Dean managed to pull away, the stitches on his jaw looked infected, angry red and swollen slightly. Cas flinched when Dean's fingers brushed the area of skin just above it.

"Cas… you gotta take better care of yourself…" Dean chided quietly, feeling the heat from the infection. He stood to grab the first aid kit, when a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. For a terrifying moment, his mind flashed to the nightmare he had had, but he calmed when his eyes met pleading blue orbs.

"Don't leave me here, Dean… please stay with me…" He begged in a quiet voice, too choked up to speak louder.

Dean nodded, returning to his side. He curled up next to his husband, pulling him closer as he pressed tender kisses to chapped lips. He sighed, feeling Cas' hungry response on his lips, tugging gently with his teeth to seek out any sort of relief for his broken heart. He figured he could offer what little peace he could give his lover, even if it was temporary.

Dean moaned slightly into the rough kiss, turning them over to pin Cas to the bed below. He felt slightly ashamed for his near immediate arousal, but Cas didn't seem to mind or care. In fact, Castiel responded accordingly, rutting his hips obscenely against Dean's to seek out any sort of friction. Cas moaned wantonly, wrapping his arms around Dean's neck to pull him closer. "Take me please…" he begged, his wrecked voice harsh in his throat.

So that's how he wanted it. Foreplay seemed out of the question, not that either of them were in some sort of playful mood. Rough, needy sex was to be their temporary numbing from the reality of their loss.

Dean nodded, tugging at Cas' pajama bottoms until they came off of his hips. He tossed the cloth off to the side before attacking his own jeans and shirt. Once the two were gloriously naked, he attacked Cas' collarbones, nipping the skin sharply as he heard his lover gasp appreciatively.

"Harder!" Cas growled, fucking himself against Dean's own throbbing erection, the slip-slide of sweaty skin against skin slapping obscenely in the quiet room.

Dean gave him a confused look. He was already nipping his skin hard enough to bruise…

"Dean… please… harder!"

He couldn't deny his husband's request any longer, his own libido winning out. He nodded, nipping the skin harder still, leaving a fiery red welt. Shockingly, he heard Cas groan in need, threading his fingers into Dean's hair to force him down further.

Castiel raked his fingernails over Dean's back, his ass, his sides as he pried for his lover to continue. He kissed Dean fiercely, all teeth and despair. Fresh tears spilled from his eyes to mix with the already salty stain of their sweat. The fan above pushed the dank, sex-scented air about the room slowly, driving the two of them wild with lust and musk.

After several minutes of desperate rutting, Cas grabbed Dean's fisted hand and brought his fingers to his mouth. He sucked Dean's fingers quickly, coating the digits with his saliva as his partner's head fell back in odd pleasure from the caresses of his tongue on his fingers.

"Cas… God…" Dean moaned, feeling himself teetering on the brink of sanity and sex-craze. He hardly took notice of his husband's actions until he found his own fingers pressing roughly against Cas' hole. He froze, looking down at him. "Are you sure…"

"Fuck, Dean, just fuck me already!" Cas snapped, his voice cracking halfway through his sentence. At his words, Cas forced Dean's three fingers into his unprepared hole sharply, hissing in pain.

Dean wanted to wrench back; he couldn't hurt Cas! "No, Cas… please…"

"JUST DO IT!" Cas whimpered, pain lancing across his face as he felt the three fingers twist him open roughly. If he could forget the pain in his heart in this way, by God he'd let Dean fuck him bloody if he had to.

Dean felt his hand being pulled away again as Castiel shimmied himself into a better position, closer to penetration. He wasn't prepared enough… "Cas, I'm gonna tear you up if you don't prep better…"

"I don't care anymore…" the words came low and determined, Cas staring deep into Dean's own eyes.

Before he knew what happened, Dean had been flipped over on the bed, his husband straddling his waist as he forced himself down onto his cock. He felt his member breach a severely tight hole, and saw with horror as Castiel's face melted in agony, biting his lower lip until he bled. "Cas…" he breathed, wiping the fresh blood from his lover's lip.

Castiel's eyes trained on Dean's suddenly, begging for this. "I need this, Dean… please…"

It took several long moments, but Dean finally nodded, gripping Castiel's hips gently. He'd do what he could to ease his thrusts without alerting Castiel, as long as he gave him the illusion of pain. It wouldn't be much he could do…

Thus started a quick, deep rhythm; Dean fucking his hips up into Castiel's warmth as the latter cried out in false ecstasy. His head fell back as he rode Dean hard, raising himself up with his legs to only let himself slam back down on Dean's prick, matching rhythm beat per beat. Slap of skin on skin echoed in the too still room, fingernails digging bluntly into flesh.

Dean grunted in exertion, holding Castiel up slightly to thrust into him more smoothly, easing his way. He gripped his hips slightly, turning them back over to drive Cas into the mattress slightly. He pinned him to the bed, kissing him hard as he thrust repeatedly into his lover.

Cas moaned, nipping Dean's lower lip as he wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper with each plunge. "D-dean… I'm…" he gasped, pulling Dean closer to him as he wrapped himself around his lover. His orgasm rippled through him, coating their stomachs with his seed as he shuddered violently under Dean's weight.

Dean jerked, feeling the tension of muscles around his cock as his husband came hard. Cas' orgasm drove him to his own, one final thrust of his hips filling his lover with his come. He continued to thrust into Castiel, riding out his high with each rough entry, growing shallower in his exhaustion.

After several long moments, they came down together, wrapped in each other. Dean panted, his flaccid cock slipping from his lover's abused hole. He pulled Castiel into his arms, wrapping him up in his embrace.

Castiel wept anew, his post-coital high doing nothing but intensify his emotions as he sobbed into his partner's chest openly. He hurt everywhere, but it didn't matter. He deserved the pain…

It didn't take long before slumber began taking over, exhaustion and depression wracking their conscious. Dean let Cas bury his face in his neck, curling around him protectively. He only wished he could offer some sort of comfort… he hated seeing his lover in so much pain. "I love you, Cas… I really do…"

No response came, and Dean sighed. Cas must have fallen asleep in his arms. He didn't blame him. Taking his previous word, Dean closed his eyes and fell asleep, holding his partner to his heart.

Castiel, on the other hand, was wide awake. He had heard Dean's declaration of love, and for the briefest of moments, his heart lifted with the knowledge.

But… a thought had occurred to him. He kept himself quiet, tricking Dean into thinking he slept in his arms as he thought this notion over again and again. Yes there was no other way around this, he was sure of it.

When Dean was fully asleep, under the cover of night, Cas would pay a special visit. It wouldn't take long. He'd be back before Dean even knew he was gone. He just had to make sure Dean wouldn't wake before he slipped out of the hours.

Several hours later brought the opportunity anew to Cas. He turned, gazing into Dean's troubled face, heavy with sleep. With a sigh he pressed a kiss to his temple, slipping out of the bed. He flinched in pain, dressing quickly before heading to the bedroom door.

With one final look over his shoulder, Castiel blinked back fresh tears, closing the door behind him silently. "I'm sorry Dean…" he murmured, slipping out of the house, headed for the forests.

The crossroads awaited him.


	3. Part 3

Part 3

Castiel stood amongst the overhanging trees, shivering violently in the cold night. He remained resolute, however, setting his jaw with determination. He'd come this far now… he wasn't backing down until something came of this wretched night.

He glanced at his watch, frowning to himself. He'd performing the forbidden summoning ritual over twenty minutes ago… shouldn't he have had a visitor by now? Sighing, Castiel watched the lazy puff of smoke float up to the cold skies before him, blinking sleep that threatened to overtake him from his eyes. Off in the distance, the sounds of rustling leaves, the lowing of a midnight creature filling the too still air around him. He shifted in his anxiety, glancing around. He was a hunter dammit! Things that go bump in the night shouldn't worry him. Yet, he couldn't shake the unmistakable anxiety that grew in his chest, threatening to flood up his throat and send him back screaming to the safety of his home.

Before he had the chance to consider it however, footsteps from behind him had the man spinning in place to come face to face with the one thing he'd been waiting for all night. Before Castiel stood the form of a beautiful young woman, her fair face marred with a terrible grin. Castiel swallowed, standing resolute before her.

"Ah, Castiel… I apologize for being so late… I had an appointment with a young man who wanted to sell his soul for a never ending supply of heroin. It was really a beautiful deal." She said her voice harsh in the night.

Castiel swallowed, watching her warily. "Demon… I-I have a proposition for you." He said, fisting his shaking hands in his pockets. He wasn't sure if the apprehension he felt came from the fear of confronting a demon face to face… or the disappointment he'd receive from Dean for his actions.

The demon smiled, crossing her arms over her buxom chest and sauntering up to him. "A proposition? How delicious. What is it you seek? The finest women, oh love of Dean Winchester's life? Or wealth? I can give you anything you want for a small price…"

Castiel balked, glancing at her. "No, none of that. I want… I want the life of my child restored to him. I will do anything you ask of me. Anything, but please…" he tapered off, eyes growing misty. "…I want my son back." He shamed himself for begging a demon for anything, but the desperation growing in the pit of his stomach gnawed away at any common sense he still had left. Eyes boring deeply into her crimson stained orbs pleaded for any hope she could give.

The demon laughed a deep guttural sound that chilled his bones in worse ways than the deepest freeze could. "Oh, what a delicious proposition Castiel! One of our most feared hunters, begging for the life of his baby boy!"

Castiel's disposition hardened at the insult, wishing he'd had the foresight to construct a trap. "I am quite serious. Please. What can I do?"

The demon wasted no time. She flew to his side, pulling him close to her body, hands groping firmly at his being. She hissed, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck as she contemplated the deal. "Hmm… it sounds truly enticing. How about we sweeten the pot a bit?"

Castiel froze, eyes widening at her sudden onslaught. He blinked down at her, shivering not from the cold. "W-what do you propose?"

The demon smiled up at him with the sultriest of gleams. "Bringing the soul of a lost one back is a great stake, Castiel. I need incentive. A soul for a soul you might guess." She purred, raking her sharp fingernails down his sides with abandon; shallow little welts bled against the cotton of his shirt.

Castiel growled deep in his throat, cursing the spike of sensations that rough action sent to his groin. He pulled away from her, glaring into her deep red eyes. "Demon, don't waste my time!"

"How about you don't waste MINE? You want your son back or not?" she snarled, teeth bared to him. She laughed again, seeing him visibly slump with the realization. "Now… about that deal…" Tapping her chin, she pretended to contemplate for a moment before a deliciously evil thought crossed her mind. "A soul for a soul… one as bright to you as the other. Hmm…" she snapped her fingers, turning to him. "I think your beloved Dean would make a fine replacement. After all, we only want the best of the best for our proposals, and one so intimately connected to the child as you would be a fine exchange…" The Demon absolutely relished the look of horror that crossed Castiel's face.

"No, Please! Not Dean…" he begged, taking a step towards her. "If you want a soul for a soul… take mine. Take me instead, but whatever you do, please don't hurt Dean."

A moment of silence passed between the two of them, the air hanging heavily.

"… I do believe this just got even better…" The demon replied finally, satisfaction on her face. She stepped towards him, taking his face in her too-cold hands. "Castiel, do you agree to this? Your soul for Alex's?"

Castiel paused for a moment, realizing just what he had done. "… Yes. I do."

"Good…" she breathed, leaning up. Her lips barely grazed his, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "We have a deal then. I will restore your son to you, but the final debt must be paid in one year's time. If you try to stop this then BOTH your adored Dean and Alex will die. Do you understand?"

At his silent nod, she pressed forward, breaching that last inch and sealing Castiel's fate with a kiss.

* * *

Dean awoke to the chill of the early morning air, blinking sleepily in the low light. He turned over, expecting to see Castiel lying beside him. Much to his surprise, his side of the bed was empty, the clothes discarded on the floor missing. "Cas?" he called, getting out of the bed and dressing quickly. He went downstairs, glancing about the too empty, too quiet rooms in the house with growing apprehension. "Cas!"

Dean stopped in the foyer, confusion and worry dulling his already exhausted eyes. Where could Castiel have gone? Perhaps he went on a morning jog again. Dean hoped beyond hope that that was the only reason for his husband's disappearance. Surely, he wouldn't be so stupid as to run off on his own…

Dean stumbled outside, taking in the fresh morning air to calm his nerves. He'd return, he told himself, hating what he had done the night before. He should never have given in; Castiel needed comfort, not pain. Rubbing a hand down the side of his face, he sighed, turning to reenter the house and prepare a hot pot of coffee for his husband's return.

He never made it that far. The moment he turned, his eyes caught sight of something down the lane; the lane leading to the forest. He blinked, his foggy eyes not catching what it was exactly he was looking at. But after a moment of contemplation, he froze, eyes widening in horror.

That path led to the crossroads in the forest, and what appeared to be a formless lump in the middle of the path took shape. It was a man crouched in the track, and in his arms laid a child.

A shock of dread slammed headlong into Dean's subconscious, hot bile threatening to well up and overpower him. He was running before he realized he had even moved, his bare feet slipping on the dew-damp grass beneath them. "CAS!" he screamed, his voice breaking violently in the morning air. He ran for his might, praying it was an apparition. No, it couldn't be…

He skidded to a halt, his knees scraping along the ground as he dropped next to his shivering lover. Castiel's face was deathly white, bite marks and bruises on his neck and lips. The t-shirt he wore had bloody lines staining the fabric in an all too familiar parody of fingernail scratches. The hunter before Dean made no indication to his presence, staring blankly at the ground before him. Dean swallowed the thick ire in the back of his throat, glancing down at the child wrapped in oily swaddling. He reached out with cruelly trembling hands to turn the child over, praying to God that it wasn't who he thought it was.

All too true, his fears became. The shock of white-blonde hair came into view first, solidifying his fears. He tugged the remainder of the cloth away, staring into the peacefully sleeping face of his once deceased son. "Alex…" he glanced up at his shaking partner, noting with dismay the wide, pupil blown irises, blood shot whites, and dark circles. He took in the bruised lips, the teeth marks, and his drained disposition. "Cas… Castiel, look at me."

He made no indication that he'd heard him, another chill wracking his gaunt frame in the early morning air.

"Shit…" Dean whispered, lurching to his feet. He grabbed Castiel's shoulders, tugging him gently to his feet before guiding him and his once-dead child back to the house. Every other step he found himself slipping, being dragged down by the near-dead weight of his unresponsive husband. He growled in frustration, finally guiding him into the kitchen.

Dean knelt before Cas, having him sit in one of the kitchen chairs. He reached up, taking his cold face in his hands. "Castiel… Look. At. Me."

Finally, after a long moment, Castiel met his eyes, blue orbs filling with unshed tears. "D-Dean… I-I…" He was silenced as Dean pressed a finger to his split lips. Dean held him for a moment to his chest before grabbing the cordless phone from the table. With sure fingers, he dialed Bobby's number, hoping that the old man would be awake at this hour. "Bobby… it's Dean. We have a problem. Get Jimmy and Sam over here right now!" Indiscernible murmuring brought Dean's frustration back to the surface as he was promised they'd be there within the hour.

He hung up, throwing the phone onto the table. He pulled Castiel back into his arms, careful of the child between them. Dean pressed his lips to Cas' temple, a numbness filling his chest with what he knew was coming.

"Castiel, what have you done…?"

* * *

"CASTIEL, HOW COULD YOU BE SO FUCKING STUPID?" Jimmy screamed, shaking his brother's shoulders violently in his anger. He hated seeing the wounded look on his face, but God DAMMIT what had he been thinking?

"Son, screaming at him like that won't get the answers we want!" Bobby intervened, pulling Jimmy away from the shaking brother with force.

Jimmy rounded on the older man, his face twisted in fury. "But he KNOWS about everything! HE KNOWS! WHY WOULD HE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS!"

"ALRIGHT THAT'S ENOUGH! JAMES, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE AND COOL YOUR BLAME FOOL HEAD!" Bobby roared, chasing the angered twin from the room. He turned back and grabbed Castiel's shoulder, gripping him firmly. "Son… what did you do? What deal has been made?"

"I already tried asking him that… it's like he's been struck mute." Dean said, sitting next to Castiel. He took his hand, anger and frustration quelled by his devotion and pain to see his lover to hurt. He rubbed his knuckles gently with his thumb, gazing into the blank eyes before him. "Cas… please look at me. You need to tell us what happened out there, ok? Please?"

Castiel blinked once, staring straight through Dean's head to the opposing wall. They'd managed to warm some color back into his skin, but the absolutely void gleam in his eyes remained as deep as ever, frightening them all. What exactly had the demon done to strike Castiel such a way?

By this time, Sam had returned to the kitchen, holding the oily clothes Alex had been wrapped up in. He tossed them into the trash with an offended wrinkle of his nose, turning back to the others. "Nothing yet?"

Dean shook his head. "No, nothing. Where's Alex?"

"He's in his room. He seems pretty alright, actually. The first thing he did was grabbed his GI Joe and started playing with it in the middle of the floor."

Dean nodded, kneeling in front of Castiel. "Alright. We're not getting anything out of him yet. You know anything about the Crossroads Lore, other than what we already know?"

Sam shrugged, pouring a cup of coffee for Dean and Cas. "Only that the deal made has to be sealed with a kiss or some carnal act, and the demon delegates when the payment is due."

Bobby frowned, glancing down at him. "Well we match criteria pretty damn well already…" he said, eyeing the bruises and bite marks all over the man before them.

Dean gritted his teeth, willing a swell of jealousy and anger down at the words. He couldn't be mad at Castiel for that. He'd done what he thought was right at the time… but fuck, it was just all… all wrong! He placed full blame on the demon bitch instead, trying to stay positive in Castiel's waning light. He reached out, running a finger along the underside of Castiel's broken lip, willing any sort of reaction from him… just to know that Castiel was still himself somewhere deep inside this near comatose figure.

"Well then we figure out how to break the contract. Demons aren't THAT smart." The unexpected response came from the doorway, startling the lot of them. The others looked up to see a clearly upset but much calmer Jimmy leaning against the frame, his arms crossed over his chest. "We'll figure out how to break the contract, and send that demon spawn packing."

"Jimmy, we don't even know what the price dealt was… when it is due. We know nothing yet! Before we go gallivanting into a situation, we need to know the facts." Bobby snarked back, glaring at the obstinate young man before him. He was beginning to grow tired of his rash behavior, reminding him far too much of a younger, more erratic Dean.

The option hung in the air between them all, tension thick enough to cut with the possibilities. Would it be even worth it? As the silence grew, a weak voice cracked the air, thin and gravelly in their wake.

"No…" Castiel breathed, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly. As he spoke, the tremors in his shoulders grew more violent. He doubled up, curling in on himself as memories of what had happened before his eyes in the past month hit him full force, wrenching coherency from his being.

Dean turned quickly, grabbing his upper arms with gentle hands. "Castiel… what's going on? What sort of deal did you make with the demon? Tell us so we can help you."

Castiel looked up, the blues of his eyes almost washed out in the pitch black of his pupils. The sight of that alone brought terrified memories of a dream long suppressed into Dean's mind, swelling up with a tidal force previously unmatched.

He collapsed into Dean's arms, shivering in his grip. "You can't stop the deal… you can't! If you do, both you and Alex will die!

Dean remained frozen in place, rubbing his hands unconsciously across Castiel's back in soothing patterns. This wasn't how this was supposed to end… it just wasn't. "But… there has to be something." He whispered, burying his face in the crook of Castiel's neck. The fine hairs tickled his nose, bringing forth the tears he'd fought desperately to suppress, the salty tang running down his cheeks with abandon. "Please… there has to be…"

"No… there isn't."

The silence was near deafening. Jimmy turned away from the scene, fists shaking at his sides as he struggled in vain to think of any solution he could… anything to save his brother. The sounds of tinkling glass echoed down the hallway, a roar of frustration following soon after. No one reacted.

"How long do you have son?" Bobby whispered, fearing the answer he would get.

"One year…" Castiel replied, looking up at the elder hunter. A sort of resigned despair filled his being, dulling his ever dying eyes with foreboding and loss.

"But… that's enough time. We can think of something!" Dean begged, not ready to throw in the towel just yet. He looked a bit more determined, realizing they had at least that much more time to save his beloved Castiel.

No one saw the tiny form that shadowed the doorway, too engrossed in their thoughts to notice its sudden presence.

"Daddy…" came a tiny voice, tinged in confusion and worry. Castiel looked up, seeing Alex standing in the doorway. In his hands, the boy held a small toy truck, holding it to his chest with fervor. Alex approached his father shyly, crawling up into his lap immediately.

Castiel wrapped his arms around the tiny frame, holding him close. He closed his eyes, rocking the little boy gently in his grip. "Yeah, Alex?"  
Alex looked up at him, holding the toy truck out to him. "Daddy, I wanna play with you. Why are you sad?" impossible, ice blue eyes met his father's own, child-like hope dancing in their depths.

Castiel nodded, setting the truck down on the table. "Ok, Alex. We can play…" he whispered, carrying the boy with him. He took the child into the living room, sitting down on the floor. Alex immediately ran over to the abandoned toy chest, pulling out different objects and bringing them over to Castiel. Stuffed animals of all kinds littered their play area, the boy sitting in Castiel's lap. He looked up at him with a frown on his pale face, eyes narrowed. "No be sad! Play!" he demanded, thrusting a doll into his face.

Castiel complied, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden domineering behavior of his once complacent little child. Nevertheless he submitted, looking up only when Jimmy entered the room, bandage wrapped firmly around his abused fist. "The others are in the kitchen…"

Jimmy nodded, eyes narrowed at the child in his twin's lap. Complete and utter contempt for the boy ravaged his being and he turned away harshly, unable to look at Alex any longer. He wasn't sure himself why he felt such hatred for the child but something felt horribly wrong with him. He didn't trust the situation or the boy any more than the demon that had caused it all.

Without a word, he joined the others in the kitchen; taking a beer from the refrigerator and downing it almost in one go. Silence once again pervaded the room, the others staring at each other with apprehension. They listened to the playful babbles of a once deceased child in the next room, playing with a doomed man for the last year of his existence.

After a time, Sam shifted, moving to the door. "I'm going to look into this…" he said in obvious discomfort. He shot his older brother an apologetic look, reaching for the door handle. "I'll come back in a bit to check up on him later ok?"

"I'll come with you… I can't…" Jimmy paused, pulling Sam over to the door with him. "I can't be here with that… thing. Something's not right…"

Sam gave him a disgusted look. "That's your nephew in there!" he scolded, looking scandalized by the notion.

"Tell me you don't feel something wrong with this!" Jimmy snapped, gripping his forearm tightly. At the resigned look he received, he released his grip. "That's what I thought." He murmured, turning to the door once again. "C'mon… the sooner we do this, the sooner we get to saving my brother…"

As they left, Bobby put a gentle hand on his companion's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "We'll figure this out, Dean." He tried kindly, hoping to quell the disturbed man next to him. "We'll figure this out, and Cas'll be just fine." He knew false hope would only end badly, but if it were the only reassurance he could offer, he'd be hard pressed not to help in any way he could.

Dean only nodded, watching as Bobby joined his husband in the living room with Alex. He turned to the table, eyes locking on the toy truck he'd been brought before. It seemed to mock him in its unmoving state. A cold sweat broke out over his brow as he stared at the plastic toy before him, heart skipping and thrumming with pent up anxiety. With a shaking hand, he reached out and grabbed it, observing it for a moment. It looked oddly familiar, the poorly executed paint job on this cheap plaything ringing all too true in his subconscious.

Gripping the toy in his fist Dean turned away from the jovial squeals of his reincarnated son, walking stiffly to the trash can. He kicked the lid open, the clang of the metal lid startling him. His eyes never left the truck in his hand.

After a moment, he shook himself back to reality, glancing over his shoulder. It was all too much… just too much. Without a second thought, he threw the toy truck into the trash can, letting the lid slam shut on the offending reminder.

* * *

TBC...


End file.
